This neighborhood café has been in operation since 1990 and has survived despite Starbucks moving across the street in 2004. It has a bit of character as an Italian-themed place for locals, with outdoor sidewalk seating in front and some bench seating at the separate entrance along the side of the building. The front windows are large and let in a lot of light - in contrast with the darker interior of darker wood tables and chairs, classic art posters of Italian villages, and stained glass. Despite jazz music on the radio, it's a relatively quiet place - with a faux wood stove in the back. They get their coffee from Peter James and sell it retail - also offering custom blends. Using an old, three-group La San Marco, they do not grind to order - pulling shots with a swirling, relatively thin, medium brown crema. The flavor is rather flat: a plain mix of mild spices and little much else to note. This is a little surprising, given that it is a modestly short shot in a classic brown ACF cup for doppio shots. While this location has garnered a lot of local support, the espresso isn't all that much better than the Starbucks across the street.